Real Estate
Important Reminder: Update to Non-Resident Speculation Tax
Effective October 25, 2022, the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST) rate was increased to 25 per cent from 20 per cent. It applies to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in residential property located anywhere in Ontario by individuals who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, or by foreign corporations or taxable… Read More »
Categories: Online Only, Real EstateTips for Real Estate Lawyers (2022)
Join our panel featuring leading real estate lawyers and LAWPRO counsel who will share practical tips about key risk areas and how to effectively manage them.
Categories: CPD, Real EstateUpdate about fund transfers
There has been much written about how lawyers receive and deliver money from their trust accounts on behalf of their clients as part of a transaction. The issue comes down to ensuring good funds are being dealt with in order that value is exchanged. In Canada, our banking system works on the basis of trust,… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangers, Finances, Firm Management, Legal Technology, Online Only, Real EstateTitlePLUS: A living example of innovation of LAWPRO
When considering the future of TitlePLUS, we asked ourselves if the service was still living up to its original principles and – perhaps more importantly – whether those principles were still valid. Companies know their products need to evolve with the needs of their customers and the marketplace. If a product changes too fast, customers… Read More »
Categories: 2022 June - After Covid 19, Articles, Real Estate, Title insurance, TitlePLUSPersistence and Precision Bring Long Needed Changes to the Planning Act
Comments from Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey As Attorney General I have made it my business to jump start and accelerate access to Ontario’s outdated justice system. The work to move the system forward by decades in mere months began before the COVID-19 pandemic, and by working in new ways with our partners we have… Read More »
Categories: 2022 June - After Covid 19, Articles, Real EstateThe Top 10 Changes to the Planning Act You Need to Know About and Why
The anachronistic provisions of the Ontario Planning Act (the “Act”) and the red tape they created have frustrated lawyers and property owners for many years. The government has listened, and after consultations with many stakeholders over the last two years, long overdue changes are finally here. We believe these changes will save the public time… Read More »
Categories: 2022 June - After Covid 19, Articles, Failure to Know The Law, Real EstateCottages and Rural Properties: Avoid Common Errors that Lead to Title Insurance Claims
Cottages are a Canadian summertime staple. For many, cottage life has become tradition and cottage ownership is a dream come true. Conversely, cottage and rural residential properties generally present the real estate lawyer with some of the most challenging and complex issues of any area of real estate law, and may surprise lawyers who are… Read More »
Categories: Inadequate Investigation, Online Only, Real EstateTitlePLUS: From a simple mission to a great innovation
TitlePLUS may have evolved into a full-service, streamlined online title insurance offering, but some things haven’t changed, says Daniel Pinnington, president and CEO of LAWPRO. “On top of offering the same unparalleled coverage as always, our mission and our purpose remain the same,” says Pinnington. “TitlePLUS is built for lawyers, and our commitment to keeping… Read More »
Categories: April 2022 - Annual Report 2021, Articles, Real Estate, Title insurance, TitlePLUSHot real estate market? Excess coverage protects your practice as property values soar
Current market conditions mean business is booming for lawyers, but keep in mind that your risk exposure may be growing in lockstep with property values. A hot market changes the way real estate deals unfold. Not only do lawyers see a higher transaction volume, but unconditional offers proliferate, and closing intervals may shrink. All these… Read More »
Categories: Articles, Excess insurance, Real EstateCommon HST errors in real estate transactions
Determining HST-applicability to real estate transactions can be more complicated than many lawyers assume. What’s more, a lack of clarity and errors can often lead to substantial unforeseen costs for clients. This is a dangerous combination from a claims perspective. This paper will discuss the common categories of HST errors and provide tips on how… Read More »
Categories: Online Only, Real Estate